Drug guide
Maropitant for Dogs: Dosage, Contraindications & Safety
In dogs 7 months and older, CERENIA Tablets are administered orally at a minimum dose of 2 mg/kg body weight once daily for prevention of acute vomiting.[6]
In dogs, maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally are used for prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness, and an FDA summary regimen administered a minimum of 8 mg/kg body weight once 10 hours prior to travel.[1][4]
In dogs, Cerenia solution for injection can be used to treat or prevent vomiting at 1 mg/kg bodyweight (1 ml/10 kg bodyweight) subcutaneously or intravenously once daily for up to 5 consecutive days.[5]
Overview
In dogs, maropitant is used to prevent vomiting, and Cerenia solution for injection can also be used to treat vomiting.[5][6]
- Acute vomiting: In dogs 7 months and older, CERENIA Tablets are administered orally at a minimum dose of 2 mg/kg body weight once daily for prevention of acute vomiting.[6]
- Motion sickness: In dogs, maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally are used for prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness.[1]
- Injection: In dogs, Cerenia solution for injection is given subcutaneously or intravenously once daily at 1 mg/kg bodyweight (1 ml/10 kg bodyweight) for up to 5 consecutive days.[5]
Dosage by species
The labeled dog regimens in the available sources are oral tablets for acute vomiting or motion sickness and injectable solution for treatment or prevention of vomiting.[4][5][6]
| Species | Dose | Route | Frequency / duration | Product / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dogs | minimum dose of 2 mg/kg body weight | Oral | Once daily. | CERENIA Tablets; prevention of acute vomiting in dogs 7 months and older; in dogs, Cerenia tablets may be administered for up to fourteen days.[5][6] |
| Dogs | a minimum of 8 mg/kg body weight | Oral | Administered once 10 hours prior to travel. | Cerenia tablets; prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness; safety has not been established in dogs less than 16 weeks of age for the 8 mg/kg dose.[1][2][4] |
| Dogs | 1 mg/kg bodyweight (1 ml/10 kg bodyweight) | Subcutaneous or intravenous | Once daily for up to 5 consecutive days. | Cerenia 10 mg/ml solution for injection; in dogs, the solution can be used to treat or prevent vomiting; intravenous administration should be given as a single bolus without mixing the product with any other fluids.[5] |
Indications
In dogs, maropitant is indicated for prevention of acute vomiting, prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness, and, as Cerenia solution for injection, treatment or prevention of vomiting.[1][5][6]
- Acute vomiting: CERENIA Tablets are administered orally at a minimum dose of 2 mg/kg body weight once daily for prevention of acute vomiting in dogs 7 months and older.[6]
- Motion sickness: Maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally are used for prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs.[1]
- Treatment or prevention of vomiting: In dogs, Cerenia solution for injection can be used to treat or prevent vomiting.[5]
Contraindications & warnings
Safety is not established for some young dogs and for pregnant or lactating bitches.[2]
- Young dogs: The safety of Cerenia tablets has not been established in dogs less than 16 weeks of age for the 8 mg/kg dose (motion sickness), and in dogs less than 8 weeks of age for the 2 mg/kg dose (vomiting).[2]
- Pregnancy and lactation: The safety of Cerenia tablets has not been established in pregnant or lactating bitches.[2]
- Benefit-risk assessment: Use only according to the benefit-risk assessment by the responsible veterinarian.[2]
- Hepatic disease: Maropitant is metabolised in the liver and therefore should be used with caution in patients with hepatic disease.[2]
- Long term treatment: As maropitant is accumulated in the body during a 14-day treatment period due to metabolic saturation, careful monitoring of liver function in addition to any adverse events should be implemented during long term treatment.[2]
Drug interactions
Maropitant should not be used concomitantly with Ca-channel antagonists.[2][5]
- Ca-channel antagonists: Cerenia should not be used concomitantly with Ca-channel antagonists as maropitant has affinity to Ca-channels.[2][5]
- Highly bound medicines: Maropitant is highly bound to plasma proteins and may compete with other highly bound drugs or medicines.[2][5]
Adverse effects
In dogs given maropitant citrate tablets for prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness, hypersalivation was the most frequently reported adverse reaction in the US studies.[1]
Dogs may have experienced more than one of the observed adverse reactions.[1]
- Hypersalivation: In dogs treated with maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally one time, hypersalivation occurred in 12.5%.[1]
- Vomiting: In dogs treated with maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally one time, vomiting occurred in 5.3%; this was not associated with motion sickness.[1]
- Muscle Tremors: In dogs treated with maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally one time, muscle tremors occurred in 1%.[1]
- Sedation/Depression: In dogs treated with maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally one time, sedation/depression occurred in 1%.[1]
- Retching: In dogs treated with maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally one time, retching occurred in 0.5%.[1]
- Flatulence: In dogs treated with maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally one time, flatulence occurred in 0.5%.[1]
Overdose & toxicity
Cerenia tablets were well tolerated in dogs when administered for 15 days at dosages up to 10 mg/kg bodyweight per day.[2]
- Signs at higher doses: Clinical signs including vomiting on first administration, excess salivation and watery faeces have been observed when Cerenia tablets have been administered at doses in excess of 20 mg/kg.[2]
Withdrawal periods
For Cerenia tablets for dogs (NI), the withdrawal period is not applicable.[2]
Clinical notes
Oral maropitant accumulates in dogs with once daily repeated administration.[2][3]
- Motion sickness feeding: For motion sickness, a light meal or snack before dosing is recommended; prolonged fasting before administration should be avoided.[2]
- Do not wrap tablets in food: Cerenia tablets should not be administered wrapped or encapsulated in food as this may delay dissolution of the tablet and consequently the onset of efficacy.[2]
- Confirm swallowing: Dogs should be carefully observed following administration to ensure that each tablet is swallowed.[2]
- Repeat dosing: As the pharmacokinetic variation is large and maropitant accumulates in the body after once daily repeated administration, lower doses than recommended might be sufficient in some individuals and when repeating the dose.[2]
- Time to Cmax: Following oral administration, median time to reach Cmax was within 2.5 hr.[3]
- Bioavailability: The absolute bioavailability of maropitant was low (24%) following oral administration of 2 mg/kg maropitant.[3]
- Prandial status: After an oral dose, prandial status does not significantly affect the extent of oral bioavailability.[3]
- Steady state: Due to dose dependent pharmacokinetics, the maropitant concentrations reached steady state approximately after 4 and 8 days following 2 and 8 mg/kg, respectively.[3]
- Accumulation ratios: The observed drug accumulation ratios were 2.46 and 4.81, after oral administration of 2 and 8 mg/kg, respectively.[3]
- 10 week old puppies: The exposure of 10 week old puppies to maropitant was lower than that observed in adult dogs, particularly after repeat doses of 1 or 2 mg/kg.[3]
Frequently asked questions
What is the oral maropitant tablet dose for acute vomiting in dogs?
When should maropitant be given for motion sickness in dogs, and should the dog be fed?
In an FDA summary regimen for motion sickness, dogs were given a minimum of 8 mg/kg body weight orally once 10 hours prior to travel.[4] For motion sickness, a light meal or snack before dosing is recommended, and prolonged fasting before administration should be avoided.[2] Cerenia tablets should not be administered wrapped or encapsulated in food because this may delay dissolution of the tablet and consequently the onset of efficacy.[2]
Can maropitant tablets be used in puppies or pregnant or lactating bitches?
The safety of Cerenia tablets has not been established in dogs less than 16 weeks of age for the 8 mg/kg dose (motion sickness), and in dogs less than 8 weeks of age for the 2 mg/kg dose (vomiting).[2] The safety of Cerenia tablets has not been established in pregnant or lactating bitches.[2] Use only according to the benefit-risk assessment by the responsible veterinarian.[2]
What drug interactions are listed for maropitant in dogs?
What overdose signs are reported with maropitant tablets in dogs?
Cerenia tablets were well tolerated when administered for 15 days at dosages up to 10 mg/kg bodyweight per day.[2] Clinical signs including vomiting on first administration, excess salivation and watery faeces have been observed when the product has been administered at doses in excess of 20 mg/kg.[2]
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Veterinarian · Reviewed 26 Oct 2026
References
- Maropitant Citrate Tablets
Passage read from this source
The following adverse reactions were reported during the course of a US field study for the prevention of acute vomiting in dogs treated with maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 2 mg/kg orally and/or injectable solution at 1 mg/kg subcutaneously once daily for up to 5 consecutive days: Frequency of Adverse Reactions by Treatment | Adverse Reaction | Placebo (n=69) | maropitant citrate (n=206) |
The following adverse reactions were reported during US studies for the prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs treated with maropitant citrate tablets at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally one time. Dogs may have experienced more than one of the observed adverse reactions. 1Not associated with motion sickness. | Frequency of Adverse Reactions by Treatment | Adverse Reaction | Placebo (n=195) | maropitant citrate (n=208) |
Hypersalivation | 19 | 9.7 | 26 | 12.5 | Vomiting1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5.3 | Muscle Tremors | 1 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 | Sedation/Depression | 3 | 1.5 | 2 | 1 | Retching | 3 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 | Flatulence | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | The following adverse reactions were reported during a European field study for the prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs treated with maropitant citrate at a minimum of 8 mg/kg orally once daily for 2 consecutive days. Dogs may have experienced more than one of the observed adverse reactions. Frequency of Adverse Reactions by Treatment | Adverse…
- Clinical particulars - Cerenia tablets for dogs (NI)
Passage read from this source
The safety of the veterinary medicinal product has not been established in dogs less than 16 weeks of age for the 8 mg/kg dose (motion sickness), and in dogs less than 8 weeks of age for the 2 mg/kg dose (vomiting) as well as in pregnant or lactating bitches. Use only according to the benefit-risk assessment by the responsible veterinarian. Maropitant is metabolised in the liver and therefore should be used with caution in patients with hepatic disease. As maropitant is accumulated in the body during a 14-day treatment period due to metabolic saturation, careful monitoring of liver function in addition to any adverse events should be implemented during long term treatment.
Use only according to the benefit-risk assessment by the responsible veterinarian. Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction Cerenia should not be used concomitantly with Ca-channel antagonists as maropitant has affinity to Ca-channels. Maropitant is highly bound to plasma proteins and may compete with other highly bound drugs. Administration routes and dosage For oral use. For motion sickness, a light meal or snack before dosing is recommended; prolonged fasting before administration should be avoided. However, Cerenia tablets should not be administered wrapped or encapsulated in food as this may delay dissolution of the tablet and consequently the onset of efficacy. Dogs should be carefully observed following administration to ensure that each tablet is swallowed.
As the pharmacokinetic variation is large and maropitant accumulates in the body after once daily repeated administration, lower doses than recommended might be sufficient in some individuals and when repeating the dose. Symptoms of overdose (and where applicable, emergency procedures and antidotes) Cerenia tablets were well tolerated when administered for 15 days at dosages up to 10 mg/kg bodyweight per day. Clinical signs including vomiting on first administration, excess salivation and watery faeces have been observed when the product has been administered at doses in excess of 20 mg/kg. Special restrictions for use and special conditions for use, including restrictions on the use of antimicrobial and antiparasitic veterinary medicinal products in order to limit the risk of development of resistance…
- Cerenia® (maropitant citrate) Tablets
Passage read from this source
Following oral administration, median time to reach Cmax was within 2.5 hr. The absolute bioavailability of maropitant was low (24%) following oral administration of 2 mg/kg maropitant. After an oral dose, prandial status does not significantly affect the extent of oral bioavailability. Greater than dose-proportional drug exposure can be expected with an increase in dose (1-16 mg/kg PO). However as doses increase (20-50 mg/kg PO), the dose proportionality is re-established. Based upon in vitro enzyme kinetics, involvement of a high capacity enzyme (CYP3A12) may contribute to this return to dose linearity. Due to dose dependent pharmacokinetics, the maropitant concentrations reached steady state approximately after 4 and 8 days following 2 and 8 mg/kg, respectively. The observed drug accumulation ratios were…
- FREEDOM OF INFORMATION SUMMARY
Passage read from this source
5) Masking: All personnel making general health observations or clinical assessments were unaware of treatment allocation. 6) Inclusion Criteria/Exclusion Criteria: Healthy dogs. 7) Drug Administration: a. Dosage amount, frequency, and duration: Dogs were administered a minimum of 2 mg/kg maropitant or placebo on Day 0 once, approximately one hour before oral administration of syrup of ipecac. Dogs were administered syrup of ipecac at a dose of 0.5 mL/kg orally. b. Route of administration: Oral. 8) Variables Measured: General health observations, number of emetic events and clinical assessment of nausea. a. General health observations: Dogs were observed twice daily from Study Day -5 through -1 and once prior to treatment on Day 0. b.
Tx Group Dosage (mg/kg) Route of Administration Number of Animals T01 placebo 0 Oral 12 (6M, 6F) T02 maropitant 2 Oral 12 (6M, 6F) Dose range for maropitant was from 2.05 – 2.9 mg/kg orally. 4) Randomization: Dogs were allocated at random within sex to one of three batches, each batch containing 8 dogs (4 males and 4 females). Within each batch, animals were randomly allocated to treatment and pen according to a randomized complete block design with a two way treatment structure (sex and treatment). Blocking was based on pen location and assessors (two sets of two assessors). Each block consisted of one T01 male, one T01 female, one T02 male and one T02 female and two independent assessors…
8. Drug Administration: a. Dosage amount, frequency, and duration: A minimum of 8 mg/kg body weight, administered once 10 hours prior to travel. Dogs were administered the appropriate dose with tablets of the same strength to the nearest ½ tablet. Actual doses ranged from 8-12 mg/kg of body weight. Treatment dosages were determined according to body weight taken at time of pre-treatment physical examination for both Periods 1 and 2. Owner administered treatment a minimum of one hour after returning from clinic, and approximately 10 hours before start of car journey. b. Route of administration: Oral c. Relationship to feeding: Dogs were not fed within 1 hour of treatment and within 3 hours of the journey. 9. Variables Measured: Physical…
The pathologist reading the histology slides was masked to treatment until the slides from the control and high dose groups were read and the histopathological findings recorded. 6. Inclusion Criteria/Exclusion Criteria: Satisfactory, normal, healthy dogs selected based on age, physical findings (weight, body condition, health observations, physical examination), clinical pathology findings, behavior, and acclimatization. 7. Drug Administration: a. Dosage amount, frequency, and duration: Each dog was dosed once daily for 6 days (Days 0 through 5) with 0, 8 or 24 mg/kg maropitant. b. Route of administration: Orally. c. Relationship to feeding: Fed state. All dogs were administered the dose approximately 1 hour after feeding.
- Cerenia 10 mg/ml solution for injection for dogs and cats (NI)
Passage read from this source
Cerenia should not be used concomitantly with Ca-channel antagonists as maropitant has affinity to Ca-channels. Maropitant is highly bound to plasma proteins and may compete with other highly bound medicines. Administration routes and dosage For subcutaneous or intravenous use in dogs and cats. Cerenia solution for injection should be injected subcutaneously or intravenously, once daily, at a dose of 1 mg/kg bodyweight (1 ml/10 kg bodyweight) for up to 5 consecutive days. Intravenous administration of Cerenia should be given as a single bolus without mixing the product with any other fluids. In dogs, Cerenia can be used to treat or prevent vomiting either as tablets or as solution for injection administered once daily. Cerenia solution for injection may be administered…
- FREEDOM OF INFORMATION SUMMARY
Passage read from this source
Prevention of Acute Vomiting in dogs 7 months and older: Administer CERENIA. Tablets orally at a minimum dose of 2 mg/kg (0.9 mg/lb) body weight once daily.
- Investigation of Neurokinin‐1 Receptor Antagonism as a ...
Passage read from this source
by M Grobman · 2016 · Cited by 33 — Maropitant1 (2 mg/kg) administered q48h for 14 days. . Treatment Dogs received maropitant citrate1 (2 mg/kg PO q48h), for 14 days. The dosage of maropitant1 ...
- Safety and efficacy of injectable and oral maropitant, a ...
Passage read from this source
by DS Ramsey · 2008 · Cited by 66 — Oral doses were administered as maropitant tablets using unit dosing to deliver a minimum dose of 2 mg/kg body weight (0.9 mg/lb)
- Maropitant: A novel treatment for acute vomiting in dogs
Passage read from this source
To treat acute vomiting in dogs, 1 mg/kg maropitant is given subcutaneously once a day for up to five consecutive /kg maropitant orally at ...
- Maropitant Citrate (Cerenia) - Veterinary Partner - VIN
Passage read from this source
Available in 16 mg, 24 mg, 60 mg, and 160 mg tablets; a potent anti-nausea medication for dogs that could be given once daily. Maropitant is ...
For veterinary professionals. Information supports — never replaces — clinical judgement; always check the current product label and local regulations.